Power operating device.



F. H. RAGAN POWER OPERATING'DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9.!914-RENEWED AUG. Z. 19!].

Patented Aug. 2?, 1918.

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FREDERICK HATHAWAY RAG-AN, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN rowerv OPERATING ionvrcn.

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Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aut 2? Application filedFebruary 9, 1914, Serial No. 817,717. Renewed August '2, 1917. SerialNo. 184,1?3.

new and useful Improvements in Power,

Operating Devices, of which the following is a specification; i

My invention relates to a power operating device to cause power 'to .beapplied automatically at the will of the operator to any mechanism orconstruction to which it may be applied, and while I have shown mydevice for applying power to operate one of the members of a band re-sawcombinatlon,

I have done so in order to give a clear and.

definite descriptionofmy invention and to illustrate one of manyembodiments thereof.

Speaking in general terms, my device consists of one or more rotatableshafts, such as screw-shafts, on which is mounted a nut arranged in acasing which isprovided with means for arresting or retarding therotation of the nut or nuts sothat the rotation of the shaft or shaftswill cause the bodily movement of the casing and nut ornutslongitudinally of the screw shaft or the longitudinal movement ofsuch shafts in case the casing and nut or nuts are held or mountedstationary. The means for arresting or retarding the rotation of the nutoperate on the friction principle, which absolutely eliminates anypossibility of break age of any sort as is common in a power devicewhere the action is positive. A. maximum amount of power is delivered bythe device in either direction to any desired extent. Light pressure onthe friction means either by hand or mechanical means, provides acorrespondingly small amount of power wvhile heavy pressure produces thefull amount of power deliverable by the screw action, depending onlyupon the size and strength .Of screws and nuts employed. A frictionappliance may be used such asa spring steel band brake around the nuts,which will afford the maximum deterrent force upon said nuts. By the useof a pluralitv of these screw shaftsya change in directibn or reversalof direction of the power may be obtained substantially instantaneouslyand under the complete control of the operator.

in the drawing Figure 1 is a front elevation of-the band re-sawcombination, showing broken away to expose said nuts.

Referring to the particular embodiment of my 1nvent1on ashere shown, thetwo frames X and Xof the band re-saw arepro- Y vided with wheels uponwhich the band saws Y travel and by which they are driven. -The frame Xis stationary, being suitably- The other fastened to the solid base B.

frame-X is movable, being mounted to slide in suitable guldes'on thebase along-the line Ml l. By moving the frame X with its wheels and saw,any desired space is attainable between thesaws, the extent of whichspace is indicated by a scale S. Lumber'being fed by the feed rolls Rand R against the band saws is thereby cut to any desired width.Obviously vertical feed rolls may be used in place of the horizontalones shown.

Referring to my power operating device,

and describing the particular, installation here shown in whichthedevice is made applicable to a band re-saw, there are two similarlythreadedparallel screw shafts A and A revolving in opposite directions,upon which are screw threaded two cylindrical nuts N and N, with theresult that these nuts are capable of longitudinal movement of theshafts and also rotary movement therewith- These nuts are inclosed in asuitable casing C, which in the instance being "described is fastened toor incorporated with the movable frame, so that the latter will partakeof the movements of the casing and nuts longitudinally with respect tothe screw shafts.

The means for arresting or retarding the rotation of the nut or nutswithin the casing Mid consists, as shown, of a friction device in theform of two friction wedges DD, working vertically between the two nuts.wedges are secured to members the upper ends of which are attached therods Land L, extending upwardly outside the These P and P to casingwhere they are connected to the short lever arms Z by pivotal connectiontherewith. These lever arms in turn connect with the transverse lever Bat its opposite ends and from the center of this lever rises abifurcated arm R, V, within which isdisposed the operating handle SX ofthe bandre-saw frame. "Means are provided for adjusting the Wedges DDtoward and from the nuts N, N for taking up wear and to permit thewedges to take effect witha minimum of movement of thelever or handleSX. As shown in the drawings each of the wedges is adjustable by meansof two set screws 'D which are fitted to threaded openings in the casingC and which'may obviously be used to guide the wedges D and to adjustthem with respect to the two nuts so that a slight movement of thehandle SX one way or the other will cause the Wedges to bearfrictionally upon one or the other of the nuts N, N.

Describin the operation, if the saw frame of the band re-saw to theright. While this action is occurring, the other nut N is being forcedagainst one side of the casing. To decrease the friction'thereat ballbearings are inserted on the thrust side of each nut as shown in Fig. Ifthe saw frame is to be shifted to the left, the operation 1s the sameexcept that the hand lever is moved vto the left, which causes the wedgeto engage the lower nut N. I The other nut N be ing free to rotate withits screw shaft, the

band saw frame is drawn to -the left by the arresting 0r retarding ofthe nut Nf By the use of the friction means for ar restingor retardingthe rotary movement of the nut or nuts, it is impossible to break or jamany m'echanismto which the device may be applied, inasmuch as the nutswould be permitted to slip before any breakage of mechanism would occur.45

quires a plurality of screw shaftsand nuts Although the particularinstallation refor positive movement of the saw frame in two'directions, it will be .understood that my invention in its broaderaspectdoes not require such plurality, that is, where positive movementis desired in one direction only. Also itis obvious that the casing maybe the,

stationary member and the screw shafts the, movable member, nstead ofthe rever'se, asfl illustrated.-

I claim 1. In a device. of the class described, the combination of'ascrew shaft, a member screw threaded thereon for rotary movementtherewith and longitudinal movement relatively thereto, a casing withinwhich the member is contained, and means for retardmg or arrestingthemovement of such member relative to the screw shaft at the will ofthe operator.

; engaging the nuts alternately movement therewith a 2'. In a device ofthe class described, the

combination of two rotatable screw shafts,-

rotary movement therewith and longitudinal movement thereof, and meanscooperating with the periphery of said members for ap-- plying varyingdegrees of friction to the members for retarding or arresting the movement thereof relative to the screw shafts, said shafts being adapted tomovethesaid members in opposite directions.

4.-In a device of the class described, the combination of two rotatablescrew shafts, a threaded nutoneach shaft for rotary movement therewithand longitudinal movement relatively thereto, a casing through whichthe'shafts pass and within which the nuts are contained, means'forrotating the shafts in opposite directions, and means for v forretarding or arresting their movement.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a'rotatablescrew shaft, a member screw threaded thereon for rotary movementtherewith and-longitudinal move ment with respect thereto, a.c'asing'within 'whichthe member is ontained, and means for applying africtional resistance to. such member for retarding or arresting itsrotary movement.

"6. In a device of'the class'described, the combination of a rotatablescrew-shaft, a memberscrew threaded thereon for rotary movementtherewithand longitudinal movement with respectthereto, a casing'within which themember is' contained, means -mounted on the casing and cooperating withsaid member for imparting thereto a frictional resistance.

7. In a deviceof the class described, the

combination of a rotatable screw shaft, a

nut screwthreaded thereon, a casingwithin wh1ch the nut 1s contained,andmeans for applyinga frictional resistance to the nut for; retardingor arresting its rotary move- I ment.

8. In adevice of the class described, the combination of a rotatablescrew shaft, amember screw threaded thereon for rotary 4 andlongitudinal move-- ment with respect thereto, a oasinginclosing Saidmember which has end bearings journaled inthe' casing, and means forapplying a fr ctional resistance to such member for retarding orarresting its rotary movement.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a rotatablescrew shaft, a nut screwthreaded thereon, a casing Within which the nutis contained, such nut having end bearings journaled in the casing; andmeans for applying a frictional resistance to the nut for retarding orarresting its r0 t-ary movement.

10. Ina device of the class described,'thecombination of a rotatablescrew shaft, a

which the nut is contained, mechanism for applying africtional'resistance to the nut.

for retarding or arresting its rotary moye ment, and means for holdingsaid mecha nism in a neutral position out of frictional contact withthe' nut.

11 The combination of a rotatable screw shaft, a nut screw threadedthereon for rotary movement therewith and longitudinal movement thereon,a casing lnclosmg said nut and movable therewith longitudinally of theshaft, and means for applying a frictional resistance to the nut forretar'dingor arresting its rotary movement.

12. The combination of a pair of rotatable screw shafts, nuts freelycarried thereby,

and friction devices adapted to cooperate with said nuts for applyingfrictional resistance thereto for retarding or arresting their rotarymovement. Y. I

18'. The combination of a pair of rotatable screw shafts, nuts freelycarried thereby, a friction device adapted to cooperate with said nutsforapplying frictional resistance thereto for retarding or arrestingtheir ro--- ta ry movement, and a casing inclosing said nuts andfriction device.

14. The combination of a pairof rotatable screw shafts, nuts freelycarrled thereby,

oppositely arranged friction members cooperating with said nuts forapplying fric-' tional resistance thereto for retarding or arrestingtheir rotar movement.

15. The combination of a pair'of rotatable screw shafts, nuts freelycarried thereby, a

friction device adapted to cooperate with said nuts for applyingfrictional resistance thereto for retarding or arresting their rotarymovement, a casing inclosing said nuts and friction device, and meansmounted on the casing for operating said friction device.

16. A device of the class described comprismg in combmation, a pa1r ofscrew,

' shafts adapted to be continuously rotated, nuts freely carried by saidscrew shafts,.op

positely located friction members disposed intermediate said nuts andadapted to bear thereagaiust, leverage means connecting said frictionmembers, a casing disposed around said nuts and serving as a support forsaid leverage means, a handle adapted to engage said leverage'means,whereby lateral pressure applied to said handle will be. transsaid nutsand arrest its free rotativemovement with said screw shaft therebylongitudinally shifting said handle in the direction inwhich'thepressure is applied.

17; A device of the class'describcd comprising in combination,a pair ofscrew shafts adapted to be continuously rotated, nut screw threadedthereon, a caslngwithin links operatively connected to saidfrictionmembers and having pivot connection with said lever,-said leverbeing pivoted to said casing and having an upwardly projecting .U shapedarm, a lever having va handle adapted to repose in said U-shaped arm,and

means whereby said last named lever may retain aid friction membersin aneutral position out-of contact with said cylindrical nuts '18. A-device of the class described com prising in icombinationa'pair'ofscrew shafts adapted to be continuously rotated, cylindrical nuts freelycarried thereby, said screws passing through said nuts, oppositelylocatedyertica] friction wedges having convergently incllned facesdisposed intermediate said nuts, a casing disposed around saidfrictionwedges and serving as a' support therefor and thrust bearingsfor said nuts, a lever, upwardly projecting rods rigidly connected tosaid friction wedges and adapted to be pivotally adjusted-to said lever,said lever pivotally attached to said casing and having 'an upwardlyprojecting U shaped arm, a 'lever having a handle adapted to be reposedin said U shaped arm, said casing being provided with a notch in thesame 'plane as said U shaped arm whereby the handle of said last namedlever may retain said friction wedges in a neutralposition out ofcontact with said cylindrical nuts.

19. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a rotatable screw shaft, a nut screw threaded thereon, a,casing Within which the nut is contained, means for applying africtional resistance to the nut for re, tarding or arresting its rotarymovement, and devices for adjusting said frictional means with respectto the casing and the *nutthreaded on said screw.

frictional resistance thereto for retarding or arresting their rotarymovement, manually operated means for'movin'g-said friction members toapply frictional resistance to nuts. e I p v 21. The combination of apair of rotatable screw shafts, nuts freely carried thereby, a

said nuts, and means for adjusting the friction members toward and awayfrom said frictiondevice adapted to cooperate with said nuts forapplying frictional resistance thereto for retarding or arresting theirrotary mo'vement,.a casing lnclosing sald nuts and frlction device, anda screw' thre'aded 1n the casing and arranged to adjust the friction2device toward and from said nuts.

22. The combination of a pair of rotatable "screw shafts, nuts freelycarried thereby, a friction device adapted to cooperate with said nutsfor applying frictional-resistance the friction device toward said nuts.

28. The combination of a pairfof rotatable screw shafts, nutsfreelycarried thereby, a

friction device adapted to cooperate-with,

said nuts for applying frictional resistance thereto for retarding orarresting their rotary movement, a casing inclos ng'said nuts andfriction device, said friction device comprising two wedge surfaces oneadapted to cooperate with each of said nuts, means for operating thefriction device to apply frictional resistance to the rotation of saidnuts,

and meansvfor adjusting the friction device toward and from said nuts.

24c. In a device of the class described, the

combination of two rotatable screw shafts,

nuts freely carried thereby, casings in which i said nuts have endbearings, devices for frictionally engaging said nuts, means foroperatlng said devices to engage one or the other of the nuts asdescribed, and setscrews mounted in the casing and abutting saidfriction devices, the said friction devices comprising wedges taperedfrom a central point toward the ends thereof to provide inclinedsurfaces for engagement with the nuts i v Signed by me at Seattle,Washington, thls 2nd day of February, 1914.

FREDERICK HATHAWAY RAGAN.

Witnesses: ROY VAN MARE'N, 1

R, E. TH0MrsoN, JR.

